Sports shoe, in particular for cycling

ABSTRACT

A sport shoe includes a first lacing strip, a second lacing strip, an intermediate strip and a closing device. The closing device includes a first winder and a second winder for stressing the first lacing strip and the second lacing strip so as to bring them closer together, and an actuator unit for selectively rotating the first winder or the second winder. The first winder, the second winder and the actuator unit are rotatably supported on a single support unit. The shoe further also includes a plug-in member of the support unit on the intermediate strip.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoe for cycling, of the type including a closing device comprising a tightening cord that can be wound on a winding device for stressing two strips of the shoe upper to close them.

BACKGROUND

In the sports shoe field, in particular in cycling shoes, it is known to provide for closing systems that use a cord extending between a cord-wrapping disc secured to a side of the shoe and a hooking element secured to a strip facing such side. Winding the cord on the disc allows bringing the cord back with the aim of bringing the strips closer together, or, more generally, tightening them on the side of the shoe upper.

An example of such shoe is disclosed in patent application WO 94/27456 by the same Applicant.

However, the need is felt to provide closing systems that allow easily differentiating the lacing tension at different zones of the foot, while allowing to ensure a high comfort and easiness of use to the user.

The problem underlying the present invention is to provide a closing device for shoes that is devised to meet the above-mentioned needs with reference to the above prior art.

SUMMARY

This problem is solved by the present invention by means of a sport shoes, in particular for cycling, comprising a first lacing strip, a second lacing strip, an intermediate strip, positioned between the first lacing strip and the second lacing strip and a closing device, the closing device comprising: a first winder for a first tightening cord and a second winder for a second tightening cord, the first tightening cord and the second tightening cord each being capable of stressing the first lacing strip and the second lacing strip so as to bring them closer together by means of relative winding on the first winder and on the second winder, respectively; a selectively engagable locking device for locking the first winder and the second winder, which locking device is capable of preventing or limiting the rotation of the winders; an actuator unit for selectively rotating the first winder or the second winder; wherein the first winder, the second winder and the actuator unit are rotatably supported on a single support unit, and in that they comprise a plug-in holding device for holding the support unit on the intermediate strip.

The present invention allows differentiating the lacing tension at different parts of the foot, while ensuring a uniform distribution of the lacing tension.

In this manner, it is possible to maintain a high comfort for the user.

Furthermore, the shoe can be easily put on and it allows a simple adjustment of the lacing tension also during a sporting activity.

According to a preferred embodiment, the support unit comprises a box-shaped body, inside which the first winder, the second winder and the actuator unit are supported.

Preferably, the plug-in holding device comprises a projection and a complementary recess formed on the support unit and on the intermediate strip, respectively, or vice versa, and capable of reciprocal engagement.

According to a preferred embodiment, the intermediate strip comprises a support element in which a seating is defined for housing the support unit.

Preferably, the sport shoe comprises a first pair of cord-feed supports and a second pair of cord-feed supports, each cord-feed support of the first pair of cord-feed supports and second pair of cord-feed supports being placed on the first lacing strip and on the second lacing strip, respectively, the first tightening cord being at least partly wound around the first pair of cord-feed supports and the second tightening cord being at least partly wound around the second pair of cord-feed supports.

In one embodiment, the sport shoe comprises a cord-feed seating fixed to the intermediate strip and capable of slidably holding the first tightening cord.

According to a preferred embodiment, the first winder and the second winder have parallel axes of rotation that are spaced apart in the longitudinally extending direction of the shoe.

Preferably, the actuator unit comprises a first gripping element and a second gripping element, which rotate together with and are coaxial with the first winder and the second winder, respectively.

In one embodiment, the actuator unit comprises a single gripping element rotatably connected to the support unit, and transmission means capable of selectively transmitting the rotation of the single gripping element to the first winder and the second winder.

According to other aspects, the actuator unit further comprises an actuating ring gear which rotates together with the single gripping element, the first winder and the second winder comprising a respective ring gear, the actuator unit being moveable on the support unit in such a way as to selectively engage the actuating ring gear with a ring gear of the first winder or a ring gear of the second winder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be best understood by the description of a preferred, non-exclusive implementation example thereof, by way of illustrative, non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cycling shoe produced in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a detail of the shoe of FIG. 1 and a relative closing device;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the closing device of the shoe of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows the closing device of FIG. 3 according to a different perspective view;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are two different, partially exploded, perspective views of the closing device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an implementation variation of the closing device of the shoe according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of the closing device of FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are two different exploded perspective views of the closing device of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a sport shoe, preferably of the cycling type, is indicated on the whole by the reference numeral 100.

The shoe comprises a shoe upper of a conventional type, on which two mutually facing lacing strips 101 and 102 are defined.

According to a preferred embodiment, the shoe 100 further comprises a further substantially tab-shaped intermediate strip 103, located between the two facing strips 101, 102.

The shoe 100 further comprises a closing device, indicated on the whole by the reference numeral 10, which is secured to the shoe, for example, in one embodiment, at the further intermediate strip 103.

The closing device 10 comprises a first winder 1 for a first tightening cord 11 and a second winder 2 for a second tightening cord 21.

Preferably, the first winder 1 and the second winder 2 have axes of rotation X, X′ that are parallel and spaced apart along a longitudinally extending direction of the shoe 100.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first tightening cord 11 and the second tightening cord 21 are capable of stressing so as to bring the first lacing strip 101 and the second lacing strip 102 closer together by means of a relative winding on the respective winder, respectively.

To this aim, in a preferred embodiment, the shoe 100 comprises a first pair of cord-feed supports 71 and a second pair of cord-feed supports 72, indented to engage a tightening cord portion, respectively.

The cord-feed supports 71 and 72 have a respective seating, only partially illustrated in the figure, which allows slidably housing the cord, while holding it in a direction of mutual closing together between the two strips.

Preferably, the tightening cords are ring-shaped and closed onto the winder, so that winding the cord on the latter decrease the free length of the tightening cord and closes the ring. Therefore, it is apparent that such movement allows stressing the strips 101 and 102, bringing them closer to one another, thus obtaining a closure of the shoe.

To this aim, preferably, each cord guide of the first pair of cord-feed supports 71 and of the second pair of cord-feed supports 72 is placed at the first lacing strip 101 and the second lacing strip 102, respectively.

In a preferred embodiment, the first tightening cord 11 is at least partly wound on the first pair of cord-feed supports 71. Preferably, the second tightening cord 21 is at least partly wound around said second pair of cord-feed supports 72. In addition, in one embodiment, the shoe further comprises a further second pair of cord-feed supports 72′, on which the second cord 21 is wound. Preferably, the cord 21 intertwines when exiting the second cord-feed support 72, before arriving to the further support 72′.

Preferably, the shoe comprises a cord-feed seating 73 and an auxiliary cord-feed seating 74 secured to the intermediate strip 103 and suitable to slidably hold the first and second first tightening cords, respectively.

Referring now also to the FIGS. 3 and 4, the closing device comprises a selectively engagable locking device 5 for locking the first winder 1 and the second winder 2.

Such locking device allows preventing, or anyhow limiting, the winders rotation.

Preferably, the locking device 5 is formed by means of a ratchet defined by an engaging tooth 52 selectively engagable on a ring gear of the winder.

To this aim, each winder may comprise a respective ring gear 13, 23 and a respective engaging tooth 52, which is stressed to engage on the respective ring gear by means of an elastic member, not shown in the figure.

According to a preferred embodiment, the ratcheting can be obtained so as to be mono-directional, i.e., allowing the rotation of the winder to a direction, which is the cord winding direction, and preventing it in the opposite direction. Therefore, the ratcheting can be unlocked, thus allowing a free rotation of the winding device or, alternatively, a controlled rotation, by means of an unlocking device. In some embodiments, the unlocking device comprises a button actuator 51 which is visible in the figures.

According to a preferred embodiment, the button actuator 51 allows moving the engaging tooth 52 away from the ring gear 13.

The closing device 10 further comprises an actuator unit 3 for selectively actuating in rotation the first winder 1 or the second winder 2.

In one embodiment, the actuator unit 3 comprises a first gripping element 31 and a second gripping element 32, which rotate together with, and are coaxial with, said first winder 1 and said second winder 2, respectively.

In other words, the user will be able to act on the gripping elements 31 and 32 to rotate the respective winder which it is firmly secured to.

According to a preferred embodiment, each gripping element can rotate about an axis of rotation extending inside a plane that is parallel to the planar net of the respective winder and is offset with respect to its axis of rotation X.

The rotation of the gripping element about the above-mentioned axis allows to bring it from a retracted position, shown in the figures, and in which it is arranged substantially parallel to a radially extending plane of the winding device, to an extended position, away from the winder and thus the shoe 100 and substantially perpendicular to the former, at which it can be easily grasped by the user.

To this aim, the solution disclosed in the patent application PD2014A000102 by the same owner can be advantageously used.

Based on an alternative embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10, the actuator unit 3 comprises a single gripping element 33 and a transmission unit 35 capable of selectively transmitting the rotation of the gripping element 33 to the first winder 1 or the second winder 2.

Preferably, in this embodiment, the actuator unit 3 further comprises an actuating ring gear 34 that rotates together with the gripping element 33. The first winder 1 and the second winder 2 also comprise a respective ring gear 13, 23.

The actuator unit 3 is moveable so as to engage the actuating ring gear 34 with one of the two ring gears of the winders.

In this manner, a single gripping element allows to selectively actuate either winder.

Referring back to FIGS. 3 to 6, the first winder 1, the second winder 2 and the actuator unit 3 are rotatably supported on a single support unit 4. The shoe of the invention further comprises plug-in holding device 6 of the support unit 4 on the intermediate strip 103.

Preferably, the support unit 4 comprises a box-shaped body 40 inside which the first winder 1, the second winder 2 and the actuator unit 3 are supported.

In one embodiment, the box-shaped body 40 comprises openings 41 for the first tightening cord 11 and the second tightening cord 21, so as to allow the winding thereof on the respective winder.

According to a preferred embodiment, the plug-in holding device 6 comprises a projection 60 and a complementary recess 61 formed on the support unit 4 and the intermediate strip 103, respectively, or vice versa, and capable of a reciprocal engagement.

Preferably, in order to allow a stable engagement of the support unit 4, the intermediate strip 103 comprises a support element 104 inside which a housing seating 105 is defined, where the recesses 61 are preferably defined.

In this manner, the invention achieves the proposed objects, thus obtaining a number of advantages on known solutions.

In particular, the device according to the present invention allows obtaining an adjustment of the optimum closing tension by means of a selective action on the first or the second winders.

Furthermore, the plug-in holding device allow removing the support unit 4, thus achieving an optimum fit of the foot into the shoe, and a simple replacement of the device in the event of breakage.

The gripping element is also easily provided to the user, thus allowing for an easy handling of the closing device, hence an easy adjustment of the lacing tension.

In addition, the implementation described above advantageously allows producing a particularly robust and reliable structure, formed by a relatively low number of components. 

1. Sport shoe, in particular for cycling, comprising a first lacing strip, a second lacing strip, an intermediate strip, positioned between the first lacing strip and the second lacing strip and a closing device, the closing device comprising: a first winder for a first tightening cord and a second winder for a second tightening cord, the first tightening cord and the second tightening cord each being capable of stressing the first lacing strip and the second lacing strip so as to bring them closer together by means of relative winding on the first winder and on the second winder, respectively; selectively engageable locking devices for locking the first winder and the second winder, which locking devices are capable of preventing or limiting the rotation of the winders; an actuator unit for selectively rotating the first winder or the second winder; wherein the first winder, the second winder and the actuator unit are rotatably supported on a single support unit, the sport shoe comprising a plug-in holding device for removably holding the support unit on the intermediate strip.
 2. Sport shoe according to claim 1, wherein the support unit comprises a box-shaped body, inside which the first winder, the second winder and the actuator unit are supported.
 3. Sport shoe according to claim 1, wherein the plug-in holding device comprise a projection and a complementary recess formed on the support unit and on the intermediate strip, respectively, or vice versa, and capable of reciprocal engagement.
 4. Sport shoe according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate strip comprises a support element, a seating being defined in the support element for housing the support unit.
 5. Sport shoe according to claim 1, comprising a first pair of cord-feed supports and a second pair of cord-feed supports, each cord-feed support of the first pair of cord-feed supports and second pair of cord-feed supports being placed on the first lacing strip and on the second lacing strip, respectively, the first tightening cord being at least partly wound around the first pair of cord-feed supports and the second tightening cord being at least partly wound around the second pair of cord-feed supports.
 6. Sport shoe according to claim 1, comprising a cord-feed seating fixed to the intermediate strip and capable of slidably holding the first tightening cord.
 7. Sport shoe according to claim 1, wherein the first winder and the second winder have parallel axes of rotation that are spaced apart in the longitudinally extending direction of the shoe.
 8. Sport shoe according to claim 1, wherein the actuator unit comprises a first gripping element and a second gripping element, which rotate together with and are coaxial with the first winder and the second winder, respectively.
 9. Sport shoe according to claim 1, wherein the actuator unit comprises a single gripping element rotatably connected to the support unit, and transmission means capable of selectively transmitting the rotation of the single gripping element to the first winder and the second winder.
 10. Sport shoe according to claim 9, wherein the actuator unit further comprises an actuating ring gear which rotates together with the single gripping element, the first winder and the second winder comprising a respective ring gear, the actuator unit being moveable on the support unit in such a way as to selectively engage the actuating ring gear with a ring gear of the first winder or a ring gear of the second winder. 